The Love You Deserve
by OldLenn
Summary: -Age of Edward Challenge-There's no denying the mistakes Edward's made, and he only sees himself as a monster that's unleashed a devastating lifestyle on his family. But he's willing to give his life up to save them and that is exactly what he does.
1. Chapter 1

**Written for the** **Age of Edward Contest**

**Co-Written with Oxygen. and. Cucumber**

**Title: **The Love You Deserve

**Authors:** Oxygen .and. Cucumber R.M.J Lennixx

**Type of Edward:** American Great Depression Edward

**Summary: **There's no denying the mistakes Edward Mason's made in his life, and he only sees himself as a monster that has unleashed a devastating lifestyle on his family. But he's willing to give his life up to save them, and that... is exactly what he does.

**RULES:**

- Must be all human/alternate universe.

- Must be oneshots.

- Must include smut/lemons, therefore it MUST be rated M.

- Must be between 3,000 and 12,000 words.

**Check out all the other Age of Edward contestants at: ****.net/community/The_Age_of_Edward_Contest/70125**

We both sat, huddled and shivering by the crackling fire. Bella had a thick faded blanket wrapped around her trembling frame as I ran my hands up and down her arms, trying to create heat.

We'd had our water supply cut off barely a few days ago, and then only yesterday, the door swung off its hinges.

And it was all my fault.

Playing for the rich and ignorant scarcely gave me enough money to buy bread, let alone pay for the water or the wood to burn in the fire. Bella couldn't work; not in this society. Nor would I let her, because it wasn't her duty. She should be the one to stay at home, cook dinner over a hot roaring stove, or tidy the white clean sheets I should be able to give her.

My gaze flickered towards the children, Elizabeth and Charles; named after my mother and her father. Before resting on the small babe in her arms; Esme.

Her pale eyelids were closed shut, a steady breath falling from the smooth curve of her pink lips. Her chest rising and falling steadily over her torn and stained dress.

I sighed quietly, pressing my lips to the top of Bella's head.

The worst part of the situation, was that there was no way to fix this. The only thing I could do, would be to continue playing for the meagre amount of coins and hope in vein that someone would take pity on me.

I was a monster.

"I'm sorry," I whispered against her neck, my eyes filling with unshed tears. I was too much of a coward to cry. "For everything."

She smiled weakly, turning around in my arms as she pressed Esme gently against my chest, "As long as I have you, I'll be fine."

"I should be able to give you more," I disagreed, running my hands slowly along her shoulders as her eyes closed shut.

"I wouldn't want it."

"Yes you would." She didn't disagree with me. "I should be able to give you a nice house, with heating and water, and light. New clothes every month, and our own address for your father to write to and not be so ashamed."

She slipped an arm around Esme, freeing her right hand as she reached up to touch my cheek gently. "Everything I want, is right here between my fingertips."

"I don't believe you."

She smiled at my stubbornness, before closing the distance between us, pressing her lips against mine. Just at her touch, I felt the tears spill over onto my cheeks, and my hands tightened against her shoulders, as I held her even closer to me.

As she pulled away, her own eyes glistening with tears, a quiet giggle sounded from below us, and as I looked down to my daughter in Bella's arms, I watched her tiny fingers reach up to cling onto a few strands of Bella's hair.

"Maaama," she giggled again, tugging on her hair before putting into into her mouth.

"You woke her up," Bella accused as I rolled my eyes, grinning.

"When? You were talking just as loudly as me."

"Stop being so stubborn," she stated, "It's not a criminal offence to admit that you were wrong."

I chuckled, grinning again as Esme turned towards me. The strands of Bella's hair still in her mouth.

"Daaa?"

"Daaa," I agreed, tickling her stomach lightly as she squirmed in Bella's arms, her laughter never ceasing.

"Who needs clothes?" Bella mused, stroking the side of Esme's cheek as she looked down on her with adoring eyes. "When I have the perfect family?"

"We have no heat," I reminded her bitterly, and she turned her eyes towards me, not even flinching away from my expression.

"We'll just have to hope on tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," I sighed in agreement, her words flashing around my head as I hugged the two beautiful creatures closer to me.

_Everything I want is right here beneath my fingertips._

*

I woke up in the morning, stretching my arms on the hard stone floor as my back groaned in protest.

Bella was still asleep by my side, curled up against my chest, and I smiled gently at the sight of her, reaching out to run my fingers softly through her long brown hair.

Her words still echoed in my head as I got up to open the shutters, allowing the light to filter in slowly into the darkened room. One thing remained clear; money couldn't have bought me the love I share with this family.

Money can't buy that happiness.

I slipped on the spare costume I was given for work – the only decent clothes I had to wear in our empty wardrobe. A simple waistcoat and some grey slacks with a white shirt.

"Goodbye Edward," Bella whispered softly from the floor, her eyelids flickering open as her brown eyes melted into mine. "I love you."

A smile spread across my face, and as I knelt beside her to kiss her gently on the lips, I touched the side of her cheek with my fingertips, "I love you too."

*

"They're in the parlour," the butler stated, barely resting his eyes on me long enough to care. "She desires her favourite song; I believe you know that."

"Of course," I bowed slightly, before hurrying towards the parlour, not wanting to be late.

"Sit," she said crudely, pointing towards the wooden piano stool as I rushed through the door.

I bowed again, my neck clicking as I gritted my teeth, flexing my hands against the ivory keys.

Pavane in F-sharp minor by Gabriel Fauré. Not that I had anything against the piece; the song was beautiful, sad, and melancholy. Everything that makes a piece what it should be.

But every note I played, every chord I created, simply reminded me of home. Of how much I was missing in my children's lives. And as the sadness wove its melody into my thoughts, I was only reminded once again, of the monster I truly was.

"Stop."

The woman commanded, and my fingers froze against the keys, my breath held in anticipation.

"Play something else." She paused for a moment, "Mozart. That is what I think the day calls for."

"As you wish," I replied sweetly, thinking of the piece Rondo Alla Turca, my best, and inevitably, one of the harder.

The piece started out as usual, the notes gliding into the next smoothly and without fault. But the keys were worn away from previous owners, and weren't as supple as they should have been.

I bowed my head in concentration, my fingers struggling to meet every note as the pace increased, and her constant sighing of impatience when I missed a note, made my fingers slippery with nerves.

This was the first piece I ever played to Bella, before we'd even met. She was standing across the ballroom, shifting from one foot to the other as she bit her lip gently, casting her eyes around the room for someone she knew. As her gaze met mine, I couldn't help but wink before turning back to the piano. It was after that song, that I first asked her to dance, and after that song that we both fell in love.

And it was after that song, that I became the monster I am today.

My fingers slipped against the keys, and my chest heaved with anxiety as I tried to keep playing.

"Stop," she demanded again, as my muscles locked, awaiting her judgement. "I will not tolerate someone who cannot play a simple piece of music."

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my posture stiff and tense.

"You may go, but do not think of returning."

My breath caught in the back of my throat, as I turned to her in horror, "Please, don't-"

"You may go now."

"Please."

"Now," she stated, and without a backwards glance towards me, she walked out the room, shutting the door firmly behind her.

_Oh God. _

This was our last chance for the future. The only money we'd ever get towards food, clothes… heat. And now it was gone.

"This is for today," the butler shoved a few soiled coins into my hands, accompanying me towards the door, before closing it behind me. Coins barely enough for a loaf of bread, or a bottle of milk.

It could have been different. I could have saved her from all this… desolation. I could have been stronger, less willing… but in truth, around her my life was in her hands.

As I slumped against the wall of a house, shoving the coins roughly into my pockets, I closed my eyes shut tightly, covering my hands with my face.

We had no where to go, no one to turn to, no one to ask for help. I should have known they would stick by their words and cut us out of their lives forever.

They didn't want us, barely adults and already with three children. They didn't want a girl, unmarried and with a child. And I was the cause of that. I caused the child in her stomach, simply because I couldn't resist, and I gave in.

I had been taught better…

"Sir, we'd appreciate it if you didn't loiter on property," the owner stepped out of the house, gesturing down to where I was slumped against his wall.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, pushing away from it as I walked down the street aimlessly, feeling the weight of the coins in my pocket.

I managed to trade them for a small loaf of bread, and a bottle of milk, and I watched them pocket the coins with regret, knowing only too well how long the food would last.

I'd stopped outside a shop window.

I don't exactly know why. Perhaps I could use the excuse, I was forming my argument on how to tell Bella that I'd lost every chance we had of a future. Or how I was supposed to tell her, that I'd no longer be able to afford the money to pay for our food.

Inside the shop was a young man, barely older than me, holding a suit up against him whilst regarding his reflection in the mirror. I gulped back the jealousy, knowing only too well that the young man could have been me, if I'd have stuck by my morals.

If I hadn't been so driven by lust.

*

I couldn't even look at Bella as I walked back into the house, placing the bread and milk in front of her.

I could feel her eyes raking over my guilty expression, the way my hands twisted nervously in front of me, and as I felt her fingers touch my chin gently, for the first time in my life, I turned away from her.

"Edward," her voice burned with despair, "Edward, tell me."

I shook my head, my words catching in my throat.

She stepped past the food, ignoring her hunger as she sat beside me, her arms wrapping slowly around my neck.

"Edward, what ever it is… we can get through this. You don't have to do it alone."

I shook my head again, my bottom lip trembling, "I've ruined everything."

She pressed her lips to the stray tear that had fallen from my eyes, "You've ruined nothing Edward Mason," she whispered, running her fingers gently through the curls of my hair, "We're still alive and healthy. That's the most we can wish for."

As I met her gaze, my resistance crumbled, and I leant my forehead against hers, feeling the sobs rising in my chest, "I lost it."

"Lost what?"

"The job."

Her own breath caught in her throat, her voice shaking, "Why?"

"I'm a horrible person Bella."

"Don't you dare say that," she whispered fiercely, her hands clutching my cheeks as she forced me to look at her, "Your mistakes are my mistakes."

"I disagree."

"I don't," she spat back at me, her brown eyes alight with anger, "So what if you lost your job?"

"So what?" I mouthed her words, "Bella, this country is going through a depression, thousands unemployed; can you honestly expect me to simply get another job?"

She gritted her teeth, "If don't, then I'll have to."

"Don't be absurd."

"It's not impossible you know."

"To me, it is."

Her eyes narrowed, growing cold and dark with fury. "I could sell myself Edward. That's the extremes I will go to, just to make sure my family has enough to eat, to show you how much I truly love you."

I recoiled away from her words, flinching away from the soft touch of her fingertips, "Don't ever say that to me again."

She raised an eyebrow in contest, her mouth twitching, "I could sell myself."

In all my life I had never been an aggressive person, but right now, just the thought of her giving herself away to another man to provide me with simple luxuries, made my blood boil. "I won't let you."

"Then don't be such a pessimist," she retorted, "You'll get a job, I know you will."

I sighed reluctantly, feeling my anger web away as her breath swam across my face, "Please don't think such things," I begged quietly, my hands reaching out to hold her.

She bowed her head, reaching to play with the top two buttons of my collar, "I won't."

"Thank you."

She raised her head to mine, her eyes searching, and I smiled back, knowing what she was looking for as I lowered my lips to hers.

It wasn't long before her hands were fiddling with the buttons of my top collar, and I tore myself away from her, realising too soon what she truly wanted. "I won't touch you Bella," I whispered harshly, knowing what my mistakes had caused, how my mistakes had lead us to this lifestyle. "Don't let me."

"Please Edward," she whimpered, her hands reaching out towards me and grasping the empty space in front of her. I backed away, torn at the hurt look on her face.

"No, Bella. W-we can't," I told her, turning away. I didn't want to turn from her—God knows how much I wanted to take her the way she wanted. I just... couldn't. Throwing caution to the wind in the past had gotten us into the situation that we were in now, and I refused to let that happen again.

I heard her soft, fragile steps behind me before I felt her small, thin hands snake up my back. One found its way over my shoulder and rested on my heart while the other was under the other arm and over my abdomen. Her lips moved back and forth against the thin fabric of my shirt.

Her breath burned passion against my skin.

"Edward," she breathed. I almost moaned at her voice, and i internally berated myself. I wouldn't give in.

"Edward, please look at me. Please," she begged softly.

"Bella, we can't," I said, turning back around and facing her. I took her hands from my body, placing them at my sides and holding them there. A defiant look crossed her face.

"And why not? We are husband and wife, why should we not act like husband and wife?" she demanded.

"Bella, what if you got pregnant? I have no work, and we have no money. How can we have another child? This... this desire, we can't give in. Doing that to you before caused Elizabeth and Charles, and then Esme. We can barely take care of them now, if we do this..." I sighed. "I couldn't live with myself if I took more from you, and gave nothing back in return."

Her expression softened.

"Anything you take is yours, Edward. You shouldn't feel like you're stealing from me or hurting me or corrupting me in any way. I love you, and that's all that matters," she said.

I sighed. "I wish that I could," I told her truthfully. Her hand twitched under mine, and I let it go. She raised it up to cup my cheek.

"You are so young, and so little that happens is your fault, and yet you always find fault in things that are not yours to claim."

I turned my face away from her, not deserving of her touch or her words. I shouldn't be allowed to have a love like hers.

Her hands found their way to my face, forcing my eyes to lock onto hers.

There was a fierce glint in her brown orbs, a passionate look in them. "Don't," she commanded me. "I know what you're thinking, and please don't think it," she pleaded. "You're a good person Edward. You aren't terrible for feeing the way you do. Is it really so horrible?" she asked.

I didn't reply.

Her hands lowered from my face and then down my neck. They lingered on my shoulders, and then down to rest on my arms. Her fingers kneaded small circles into my flesh, and she rested her forehead on my chest. I wanted to put my arms around her, but there were many things that I wanted to do.

"Bella," I warned. She continued to rub my arms, and started moving her lips against my chest.

"Edward, for once just let yourself have something that you want without thinking about the kind of person that you _think_ you are. I love you, your children love you." She paused. "And your parents love you, I know they do. Just... please? I need you," she whispered. I could feel the hot of her breath through my clothes and to my soul.

While she had been talking, she had removed her hands from my arms, placing them the front of my shirt right over the buttons. I felt as one of her small, nimble fingers worked its way to the neglected one at the top.

Rational thought told me to stop. Rational thought told me to take her hands from the buttons, tell her 'no', and walk away. Rational thought told me I was a monster.

But lust told me to go on, to let her take me away in a round of passion. Lust told me to say 'yes'.

And lust told me that I was not a monster.

But it didn't matter what either told me, I knew that I would be the one making the decision eventually. I thought of how my actions had got us into trouble before, how because of my weakness for her body had gotten her pregnant, and forced our families to disown us. How we were now instead of living in luxury as Bella deserved, we were barely living through the week.

But I wanted this so badly. To hold her in my arms and be together as one in the tangles of each other with no inhibitions holding us back.

And so I made my choice, knowing full-well what the consequences might be.

Maybe I was a monster...

I bent my head down to her parted lips as the top button of my shirt was undone.

_Pop._

That single, tiny sound sent a warning bell off in my head, but I pushed it back her soft, pale pink lips combined with mine. I felt her warm sigh fill my mouth, over-take my senses. Her arms wound around my neck, pulling me closer and deepening the kiss.

I loved the feel of her skin on mine.

My hands quickly found their way to her supple hips, pulling her flush with my body. I darted my tongue out, skimming along the rich flesh of her lips and begging for entrance.

She tasted like summer strawberries.

Our tongues met in the middle, dancing together as Bella worked on the buttons. Our breathing was heavy, heat rising from every plane of our bodies. My blood boiled for her. My body yearned for her.

Almost as soon as she had started, the buttons of my shirt were undone, and she slipped her hands under the sleeves and let the fabric fall to the floor with an almost inaudible 'thud'.

I couldn't help but smile lightly as Bella stared at my bare torso. She caught my expression.

"What?" she asked confused.

"You're staring," I informed her. A small rose-pink blush spread across her cheeks.

"You would too," she whispered. I chuckled.

"Let's see, shall we?" I said. Before she could react, I scooped her up into my arms, and bent down so I could gently place her on the floor. We didn't have a bed; we had sold it to pay for food. Only the children had one, and they shared it in the other room.

I looked down at her, a small hint of regret hovering above the love that was coursing through me. We should be able to make love on a bed together, not on a hard floor.

As if hearing my thoughts—or perhaps just seeing my face—she placed her hand on the side of my cheek.

"The place does not matter. This—you and I—_together_, that is what matters," she breathed out. I felt my expression soften, but I couldn't help the minute frown on my face. Bella caught that, and raised herself up so that both of her legs were on either side of me as we kneeled on the floor together. She pressed her body up against mine, crushing me to her body as if to tell me that she would never let go.

I didn't want her to.

Her lips moved along the base of my neck up and up to behind my ear, her tongue darting out to lick behind the sensitive skin there. Her breath floated over it, chilling me in more ways than one.

"Make love to me Edward," she whispered softly against me. "Make love to me like you did the first time."

I groaned against her neck, making it out come out low and deep against her.

"Please..." she whispered.

I placed one of my hands behind her head and another on the small of her back and lowered gently to the floor. Her arms were fastened securely around my back, her breathing picking up. I could feel her heartbeat against my bare chest, it moving faster in anticipation.

She lay underneath me, her knees bent on either side of my hips. Her dress hem had ridden up, now resting a few inches above her knees.

I brought my face down to her protruding collar bone, skimming it with my nose and breathing in her natural scent. Her breasts rose and fell, and I gave each swell a kiss.

"Edward," she moaned.

I smiled lightly against her skin, and sat up. Her bottom lip poked out pouting, and I couldn't help but chuckle. She looked so magical, even like that.

I moved my hands up to her cheek, cupping it and staring into her eyes. My other hand moved down her body, softly floating over her side, her hip. My fingers grazed the thin material of her dress, hooking onto the edge of it, and bringing up higher.

I could feel the heat circulating from her center, and I saw as her lids became heavy under me.

"I love you so much," I whispered to her. She smiled.

"I know."

I leaned down to her then, taking her lips into mine and kissing her with every ounce of passion that I had. I felt her body against mine, her lips against mine. Our breathing meshed together, and the deeper our kisses became the faster I worked each of the snap-buttons on her dress.

_Snap!_

Moan.

_Pop!_

"Oh Edward."

_Snap!_

Blood pulsing down...

_Pop!_

Just a few more...

I lifted myself up from her body—unwillingly—so that I could undo the buttons on her stomach and on her chest. Her legs were spread, her light under-things covering up her heated core. They were darkened ever slightly, and the blood that wasn't already using gravity was.

"Now who's staring?" she said looking up at me. I smirked, and lowered my mouth to her ear, whispering.

"You would to," I said, repeating her earlier words. She rolled her eyes, and then they half-closed as my hand ran up her thighs slowly, my nails raking over her flesh. It found the next button, the right above her navel, and snapped it open.

My fingers moved up higher, taking the next one and snapping it open, letting the fabric fall a little more to the side of her body, exposing more of her succulent, creamy skin to me. My hand moved higher to the one, and then the next one, going slow and grazing her skin lightly with every trek up to the next one.

Another 'pop!' resounded, and there was only one more button left. I could see the small curve of her breasts underneath the fabric, beckoning me to revel them...

_Snap!_

Bella lay bare beneath me, save for her underwear covering her lower part. Her chest moved up and down with her breaths, her nipples pert and hard against the cold air that caressed them. I reached one of my hands out, letting it skim over the pink bud and earning a moan from her.

I could feel my pants getting tighter.

My hand moved higher, under the sleeve of her dress. Just as she had done to me, I slipped her arm out of it and did the same to the other one, making sure to move my hand feather-light over the other nipple as well.

Once bother of her arms were free from her dress, she spoke. "Edward... you're over-dressed," she breathed, placing her hands on the zipper of my pants and dragging it down. Her hands grazed the bulge in my pants, freeing it ever slightly from its confines as the zipper went down.

"These can go," she said in a sultry voice. Her fingers hooked into the waistband of them, pulling them down swiftly along with the boxers that I was wearing. When she couldn't pull them down any farther, I shifted so that I could finish pulling them down all the way past my knees and off my body leaving them in a heap behind us.

She took in my body, looking up and down with a smile on her face.

"You're so beautiful," she whispered gently, "how are you mine?" I chuckled in reply, hooking my thumbs around her underwear and pulling them down. She lifted up so that I could pull them past her backside, and soon she was completely uncovered for me.

"I could say the same thing about you," I murmured, bringing my lips to hers, placing my hands on either side of her head and propping myself up in between her legs. I was ready for her, and as I felt the heat from between her legs rise up in waves onto me, I knew she was ready for me.

She moaned into my mouth, and impatient as she was, I felt as she brought her hips up to mine.

I could feel the wetness from her on me.

I groaned, tearing my lips from hers. I looked into her eyes, and that was all I needed; she didn't have to say anything. I shifted so that I was just outside her hot entrance, my tip teasing.

"Edward..." she whined. I smiled and lowered myself slowly onto her, pushing inside and hissing at how wet and tight she was.

"Edward..." she moaned, gripping my shoulders. She shuddered beneath me as I pulled up as slowly and painstakingly possible before burring myself into her in one swift thrust.

We groaned in unison, our short, heavy moans coming out in time with each other. I reached down to her leg, hitching it behind my back and doing the same with the other. Her legs tightened around my back, pushing me deeper into her.

"Oh Bella," I groaned. Her nails dug into the skin of my back, and I picked up my pace.

Her hips began to come up and meet mine over and over. She clung closer to me, and I could feel her walls clench around me as got faster.

"Bella..."

"Edward..."

I could feel the tension building up in me, and I brought my lips down to Bella's, taking them in mine. "God I love you," I breathed against her.

She sighed against me, pulling me ever closer. "And I you."

And the night continued on.

*

_Two Weeks Later_

"Sir, I'm going to ask you again for the rent."

I tore my gaze away from his, gritting my teeth, "I don't have it," I stated, trying to contain my anger.

"I need that rent."

"I don't have it."

"Then I'm going to have to ask you to vacate this building."

My eyes flashed dangerously to his, "You can't make me do that."

"I believe I can," he snapped back smugly, "I own this building; therefore I decide what I do with it."

"My family," I choked, barely able to finish my sentence as he turned on his heel, not waiting for my reply.

"You have until Monday Mr Mason," he called calmly over his shoulder, his hands swinging freely at his side.

*

I couldn't tell Bella.

Marriage was built on trust and honesty and love… but at the moment, love was the only base of our existence. If I didn't love her, I wouldn't diminish myself to beg at the side of the street for money, or run after the coins they threw on the street by my feet.

Perhaps I could pretend that we needed to move. A fresh start. A different town. New opportunities.

I shook my head bitterly, flinging the rock between my fingers into the pond. I wouldn't do that to her.

A gentleman walked past me, avoiding the stench of my clothes at all costs as he moved towards the other side of the street. He was wealthily dressed, clad in a smart suit, black glimmering shoes and a blue checked tie.

"Sir," I moved towards him as he flinched away from me suddenly, "Sir, if you could spare a few coins for my family."

He didn't even turn to look at me as he kept walking, his pace increasing.

"Sir,_ please_."

That was when it happened.

I heard the quiet thud of an object as it fell out of his pocket, and my eyes darted down to the street, to see his wallet lying on the floor.

He still hadn't turned around. He hadn't noticed.

I took a deep, trembling breath, all the while thinking of my family, of Bella, and of the children, as I moved towards him, at a faster pace now. Frightened by me, he broke into a jog, and that was when I ceased the opportunity to clasp my hands around the brown leather wallet.

As soon as my hands met the soft, expensive material, I knew I had to leave. We had to leave this town forever.

That is what I'd condemned my family to.

But if it meant having a few extra coins in our pocket, and food at mealtimes, then I guess… it was worth it.

I tore back down the street suddenly, my footsteps alerting the man as he whirled around to see my figure fading fast into the distance. I had hope. We had a future. We now had a chance in reality, down to this small wallet. A chance that is, until the man realized what I'd stolen.

I was being chased.

I didn't have to wait long before the sound of tires against the uneven road, and the guttural roaring of the throaty engine inside the automobile sounded behind me.

However, there were times when I could thank technology.

I could run. Faster than an average human, and the automobile barely travelled higher than when I would jog.

"Get your things together," I demanded as I tore through the broken door of our house, shoving the wallet into the inside of my jacket pocket.

"Edward, what's happened?" Bella rushed to my side, Esme cocooned safely inside the warmth of her arms.

"We have to leave, now."

I didn't wait for her answer, as I rushed towards Charles, tugging his jacket tightly around him as I put his hands on the buttons, gesturing for him to do them up.

"Edward, I'm not leaving until you explain."

"There's no time."

"There's always time," she growled, and I flinched away from her cold expression.

"I did something wrong."

She nodded curtly, almost as if she expected this by now. I moved towards Elizabeth now, slipping on her brown plimsolls as I struggled not the let the back of the shoe collapse.

Hesitantly, I removed the wallet out of my pocket, handing it towards her. "It was lying there on the floor, and all I could think about was our future."

She wouldn't take it.

"Bella-"

"Why?" her voice broke, her hands tightening around Esme's small frame. "Why Edward?"

"We need it."

"Not this way," she shook her head, tears running quietly down her face as she pressed her lips tightly together.

"Please leave with me."

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she looked away from me, moving towards the cupboard. She was packing.

"We need to move fast," I breathed, concealing my thanks, as the sound of tyres was always getting closer.

My hands tore the blinds away from the windows, and I reached for Elizabeth, lifting her gently out of the window, before turning to Charles and doing the same.

Bella turned to me, tears still running down her face as she too stepped out of the window, and I followed her quickly, not sparing one final glance around the darkened room.

"Charles, Elizabeth," I knelt down by their faces. I had to make time for this. "We have to run. Can you do that for me?"

They nodded wordlessly, and Elizabeth reached for me, wrapping her tiny arms around my leg. "Where are we going?"

"I don't know baby," I whispered, as I took her hand in mine. Then, I lifted her onto my back as I shared a glance with Charles.

"It's time for you to show me how fast you can run."

He smirked, rubbing his hands together as he sprinted off towards the forest. I glanced towards Bella, "Are you ready?"

"I was born ready," she gritted her teeth, hitching Esme onto her hip as she sprinted after Charles.

"Giddiyup dad," Elizabeth whispered in my ear, kicking my sides lightly with her feet as I ran after my family. The sound of tyres had stopped, and that meant two things. One; they'd given up. Two; they'd left their vehicles and continued on foot.

"Search the house," a sharp, cruel voice ordered from behind us, and my breath hitched, thinking of how close we'd been.

I spurred myself onwards, catching up with Bella who had her skirts held high, her face flushed red with determination.

"If we survive this," she breathed angrily, "I refuse to clean, or cook dinner for a week."

"I'll be your servant forever if we survive this," I smiled crookedly, and without even looking at her, I knew she was smiling too.

The banging had stopped, which for a second time meant two things, and again we were all ignorant. They'd either given up, or they were following us.

"Sir, we've seen someone up by the woods!" a loud voice shouted out through the trees, and I cursed quietly, the chances of us living through this getting slimmer and slimmer

"Edward," Bella panted beside me, her breath coming in short gasps as Esme let out a shrill cry from her arms. "Edward, I'm going to-"

"Don't give up," I growled, "Please. Don't."

"Dad," I heard Charles call from the front, "Dad, I can't-"

I'd pushed them too far. Yet again, I'd taken it one step too far. We were now in a clearing, and I slowed to a walk, feeling Bella collapse into my side with exhaustion beside me.

I'd sentenced them to a life of hell, and put them through such misery… solely based on my own actions.

God, I was a monster.

I pulled Bella close to my side, feeling Elizabeth sobbing quietly against my neck. She knew.

Charles was bent over his knees, his face red, "I tried dad," he gasped, "I tried to run like you dad."

"You ran fast," I smiled sadly up at him, "You did me proud."

There was a farm house nestled in the trees, and I pulled my family towards them, finding a small shed leaning off the side of the framework.

For now, it would do its purpose.

I pulled Bella into the shed, letting Elizabeth down from my arms as Charles followed us in, his breathing still shallow.

_I was a monster._

That was a fact I had learnt to accept. And now, I was going to do the one decent thing left I could do. The men had only seen me, and that was why, my plan would work. _Ironic._

I took the wallet out of my jacket pocket, pressing it into Bella's hands. "This is yours."

She looked up at me, wide eyed as she shook her head quickly, "It's ours Edward."

I shut my eyes tightly, trying to block out the pain of everything. I always knew life would be difficult. "Yours Bella… and the children's."

"Edward-"

"Now this is what I want you to do," I lowered my voice, my ears straining to hear for the men. "I want you to take the children far away from here, and-"

"Edward, no!" Bella moaned in shock, her eyes filling with tears again. Her hands grasped my cheeks tightly, "I'm not leaving you!"

"Dad?" Elizabeth breathed through her sobs, "Dad, you're leaving? N-No, n-no, don't!" she rushed to my side, clamping her arms around my waist as she buried her head in my shirt.

I took a deep, shaken breath, stroking the top of her head softly. "It's the only way."

"It's not," Charles stated, looking up at me with wide, tearful eyes. "They'll never find us here."

My eyes flickered towards how close we were to the clearing, and I shook my head, "They will Charles. That they will."

"Dad-"

"As soon as I leave; run," I whispered, "I'll distract them."

"COME OUT!" a harsh voice shouted through the forest, "We have guns."

My breathing hitched, the final grains of sand draining in the hourglass. "Look after your mother," I pleaded to Charles and Elizabeth, and they nodded wordlessly, before I turned my gaze up towards Bella for the lost time, my eyes melting into hers.

"I love you," she vowed, her voice cracking with the pain.

"I love you too," I murmured, "Forever." My hands reached for her, and I pressed my lips desperately against hers, her tiny hands fisting in my shirt.

"COME OUT!" the voice yelled again, calling me.

Before I could change my mind, I tore my lips away from her, sobbing wildly as I tore out of the small shed.

They'd be safe, they wouldn't be hurt.

And for once in my life, I realized I was doing the right thing, as if it somehow made up for my wrongs.

I threw myself on the floor of the clearing, my eyes clamped shut as I awaited my fate. Their voices grew louder, sounding throughout the clearing like alarms.

They'd found me.

But they would _never _find my family.

**Oxygen- **I first started writing this without looking properly at the rules. All I saw was the title, and the word limit, which was a tad stupid of me considering I don't write lemons etc. So I asked R.M.J Lennixx to collaborate with me, and she's very kindly written the lemon for this piece which I think makes the oneshot what it is.

All the credit goes to her, and you MUST read her stories afterwards. There isn't one that I don't like.

**Lennixx: **I just want to say that Oxy is an AMAZING author. Seriously. And, she gives meh WAAY too much credit. But hells, gotta love her for it. She's awesome.

Yep. When I was supposed to be doing homework, I was writing this, only because a semi-decent lemon is much more fun than geometry.


	2. Contest Announcement

**Contest Announcement**

Oxygen and I are so happy for the reviews we've recived (on both profiles) for this story, and are glad to announce that voting for our round of the Age of Edward Contest has begun. It starts today and runs through to the 29th of this month, so don't forget to go and vote for this story, and the other AMAZING entries that are in this round.

To vote, go to http://www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/u/1939261/The_Age_of_Edward# to vote for this round, as well as see the winners for round one.

Much thanks!

Lennixx.


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